Sthrngary

@smillerholmes Hilarious, I am offended and hurt. All kidding aside, the funniest part and I was not even exaggerating. My last trip on the Joy was Solo. I could not afford a Haven room. Folks that that knew me from CruiseCritic.com and were in the Haven; they showed pitty on my and brought me some the the exclusive Almond Croissants. That was all the reward I needed. They are unbelievable. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@MJC From a fellow New Yorker, "Stop It!". My excessive planning is based on 1) My career which was highly dependent on details and planning; 2) The fact I am retired now and bored out of my mind. Anyone that loves to plan and had the time I have would do something similar. Funny story, I was on the NCL Joy, November 2021 for a very long awaited family cruise vacation. Just like everyone else, it happened after four cancellations. I could not wait for someone to say, "Are you Sthrngary? I would love to see your Journey document." That did NOT happen however someone did say hello and that they "loved the idea of the document". I said, "wait, I will go back to my suite and get it to show you". They said, "No that is not necessary". I did it anyway and ran to my suite. A group of people in the Haven Lounge were all looking at the Journey document and my wife just rolled her eyes. Who knows, maybe one day, NCL will see this document, these OP-ED's and acknowledge it. Regardless, It is super fun to do so I will continue doing it. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Wow, I had no idea. Thank you for letting me know. I was only drinking my bottle on special occasions like, I don't know, Thanksgiving, LOL. It is nice to know it might be available near me. I live in Birmingham however, the ABC stores usually have the same inventory statewide. Thank you again. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@RocketMan275 You got me. You see the flaws in my plan. I am so ashamed. I will come clean. "My wife pushes my buttons all the time. I have been married for 43 years and she does it well." The truth is, I do that journal for myself. I hate making mistakes and to have a log of what has been done and support the details makes me feel more secure. My wife glances at the document but rarely reads past the first few pages. The difference between our wives seems to be when my lovely bride has a problem, she won't let me help her until she completely gives up. The TV remote control is a great example. What is so hard about the instruction, "Press the TV icon, choose the source like Roku, and use the arrows?" Yesterday, all my blinds came down, the security system went on, and Rap music was playing in every room loud. I asked, "Honey, what were you trying to do?" She said, turn up the thermostat. Seriously, my wife will read the Journey Document in the car if we drive or on the plane on the way. She depends on me to do all the planning and with that comes the frightening thought that I forget something. "The story of my life, No respect; No respect at all." Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

There a way more of us "Over Prepared Club" members that we both know of. I really appreciate your post. I just picked up my "NEW" journey document for this upcoming cruise. I will give it my wife as soon as she starts asking me questions. That should be any day now. I am prepared for that in a big way. I reference the Haven not as the way to go but an option. In doing so, I have effected my own situation in a negative way. Allow me to explain, when I can't go in the Haven due to budget restrictions from SthrnTami my wife, I ALWAYS try a NCL Bid Upgrade. I NEVER win. WHY??? I shared so much about the Haven and how to bid that everyone else gets the upgrade bid but me. I made lots of CruiseCritic.com friends and ended up doing "Haven Lite" which is great as well. My up coming cruise on December 4, out of New Orleans has over 150 people in the CruiseCritic.com meet & greet. I will have to miss it because it happens the same time as my wife plays in the finals of the "Casino's at Sea" Slot tournament. I hope I can meet some of these folks on the ship to put a face with a name. Thanks again for your very kind words. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Thank you for the clarification. It seem, which is normal, that some folks overview a different experience than others. My comments were after reading about 6 comments in a row. I was on the Getaway with a full ship and in the Haven which was sold out. We were a party of two at the time. We had to wait for 10 minutes only once. That said, if other experience is different, a good plan or strategy makes it all work out. Part of my issue on Social Media is reading different views, from the same voyage from different guests. I take everyone experience as their reality, especially if they write it, was a grain of salt. I just want everyone to know, nothing ever goes completely perfect on a cruise. Control what is within your control and use good business judgement. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

This is very interesting. If seems, there is a consensus that when the Breakaway is sold out, the Breakaway ship Haven Restaurant is extremely busy. This it seems leads to a wait which can be an inconvenience if you are going to an activity or show. I am commenting on this situation because I am on the Breakaway in 11 days. The ship is almost sold out. The Haven has been sold out for quite some time. I am not in the Haven for this trip and it seems like, if ever there was a trip not to be in the Haven, this is the one. As a side note, this is way we all should schedule our Specialty Restaurants the moment we can. If you are in the Haven, 130 prior; Suites non-Haven which include Club Balcony Suites is 125 days and everyone else 120 days prior. A good plan on a busy ship is critical. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@New2cruise2022 Well this was super nice of you. I read the original post and all the comments. I feel for the author. There experience was much less than there expectation was. When you spend your hard earned money, you expect to feel at least satisfied at the end of the journey. What I really think that happened was disappointment and frustration and the Author wanted an avenue to vent. Emotionally I can fully understand this. After 25 plus cruises, some were less than great for sure. None of us can fix a cruise that went wrong. I don't think that is the point. What we can do is take it under advisement for our own future vacation decisions. Thank you to the Author and here is what I learned from your experience. NOTE: I am not telling you what you did wrong in your decision to cruise on this ship. I am learning from your experience. Ports of Call Are Never Guaranteed: My first trip after the worst of Covid was the Bahama's. The only port we wanted was the one were we could swim with the pigs which we never did. It got cancelled. On the same week cruise, two other ports were cancelled. Very disappointing but not anyone's fault. Still, it was a bummer. Small Ships in Europe: The benefit of a small ship is it can go into small ports and dock. This is great except if some of those ports are cancelled. The ship is much less of the vacation then the destinations. On the big ships, the ship is a huge floating hotels with lots to do. You have to make a choice and sometimes, that choice is wrong. The other thing to remember is entertainment on smaller ships have a lower budget. Know that before choosing it. The Stateroom: If it is a port intensive sailing, the cabin is a place to sleep and take a shower. If ports or cancelled, it becomes an issue. The stateroom is small to save the guest money and allow them to cruise on a reasonable budget. The cruising gods have no pity on you. We just have to remember why we booked that room in the first place. Complaining about the Brand: We as consumer have every right to complain about a brand and share that complaint on social media. Those that read those complaints needs to take a moment and evaluate how the same things would have affected their cruise experience. We as consumers are brand loyal to a point. The issue here was the ship, cabin, ports and that leads to the brand. If after many positive experiences any of us would have had this type of negative experience, we would consider never using the brand again. I know, it is the reason why I don't cruise Celebrity anymore. My experience, my choice. Message to the Author: I love NCL and only go on their biggest ships. I prefer newest and largest except when I travel in Europe. Those are port intensive cruises and I want a different set of experiences. I choose Oceania because I wanted "Personalized Service", "Really Good Dining", "A Smaller ship that was just drydocked", "Access to the Spa area", and "Mostly adults on the cruise." I knew through my research that the entertainment would be average to below average, the crowd would be older, feeling would not be the craziness of a Caribbean cruise and the bars would shut down earlier than I am used to. That research lets me know upfront, what to expect and not to expect. Your op-ed confirmed the research done was in many ways accurate. For that, I personally thank you and appreciate the time it took for you to write your review. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@glentally To setup my response, I dearly love the NCL Haven. If I can afford it, I will book it. The prices are very high now due to high guest capacity, the final use of FCC and people who have not travel for a long while, traveling again. In March of 2022, I did my first NCL Solo Cruise because I loved the NCL Joy during my family cruise November 2021. I also was given the Upgrade Bid offers as most guest are given. I will share my thoughts and hope it with all the other comments help you. The fact is, if you win a upgrade bid, you pay double. No way around that if you win a bid. As other say, bid with that in mind. If you are dead said against paying for two, don't bid. Simple answer to a complicated problem. The best approach is to bid where your over all cost of your fare would be less than if you purchased the Haven for one. The likelihood that you would win is slim but crazier things have happened. The second approach is to do what I call "Haven Lite". It give you the feel and most of the enjoyment of being in the Haven, at a much lower cost, and only pay for you. Here is the basic strategy: Vibe Beach Club: $210.00 Thermal Spa: $300.00 Free At Sea PLUS upgrade: $300 ish Now you have four specialty meals, unlimited wifi, the Thermal Spa for bad weather days, the Vibe Beach Club for lovely days, the Premium Plus Beverage package as a splurge. The added cost is in most cases a fraction of what it would cost to have booked the Haven just for yourself. This way, if you win the Haven, you do that. If you don't, you still have a Haven experience. Hope that helped. I did the Haven Lite Approach and it worked out for me. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

If you have NCL flights, you obviously have NCL Transfers. You have five people and others will be on the same flight. It is Christmas and sorry to say, everything will be late. NCL will watch your flights since they booked you on it. It is my experience on holiday cruise that they will hold the ship for a time. They will let you onboard until the last second. The 2 hours before embarkment is just a caution. You will be kind of nervous but if I were betting, you will make it. Try to have faith. I would still check bags because it is to much luggage to carry one. Others on your flight will do the same. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

My first 5 or so cruises when I was very young was with NCL. At the time, they were called Just Norwegian. Those cruise were lose in the records. I also did not ever exclusively travel on NCL. You are not the only person who has said this to me. Maybe one day if I last that long. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

LOL, that was mostly geared t my SUPER Entitled daughter. Long story but I wanted to make sure no one was going to effect a vacation in a negative way when it took over two years, four cancellations and five bookings to get done. My wife thought that part was rude however there was no drama on that vacation. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@scooter6139 Here is a funny story. My wife and I are on the NCL Breakaway in 12 days. Yesterday I took my new Journey document for that cruise to the printer. I usually get two book bound. Next week, she will begin to ask me questions like, "When do we leave?", "Where are we staying in New Orleans?", and the list goes on. The moment the first question comes up, I hand her the Journey Document. This document answers all of her questions, has everything I need for the cruise, and gives me piece of mind. The first one I did years ago was the hardest one. Now I just change the document to fit the next cruise. I also recently did one for our closest friends for a Mediterranean Cruise we are going on November of 2022 on Oceania. My friend is giving her the "Journey Document" as part of her Christmas Present. It will be her 70th Birthday while on the cruise. Glad it can help you in some way. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

NCL changes things from Time to Time but I am pretty sure the answer is yes. Do what you want if it is offered. I usually eat at the Haven Restaurant because the food is better and I get to met the Haven Staff. I ate at the American Diner when I took my family on the NCL Joy in the Haven November 2021. I had the Blue Plate Special which was Roast Beef, mashed potato's and green beans. I loved it. The rest of my family hated this place. BTW, the milk shakes are not complementary and it was the only think my family liked. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

I went to college in WV. Concord University in Athens. I also met my wife of 43 years there. Lovely country. See Post #10 for document. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Posting #10. Hope you like it.

Agreed

Thank you for asking. Here is a copy using Microsoft Word template I did some time ago. I use the Index function to provide an index of topics. I used macro which are standard in word. I also use paragraph formatting. Feel free to copy and paste or use the the document with your data. I hope it helps you. Cruise well and enjoy every moment. NCL_Joy_Family_Journey_Document_template.docx

I am not sure however I will check in 12 days on the Breakaway. I noticed, the Vibe week pass no longer can be purchased for my upcoming cruise however the Vibe cabana which includes two week passes can. Something tells me the Vibe Passes will still be available when your board until they are sold out so they hold some back. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Anyone that really studies cruising has been following the industry trends for the past many years. The cruise strategy needed to change as the cruising environment evolved. I would like to break the past few years into categories based on how the Covid virus affected all our strategies relating to cruising. My goal in this op-ed and all my writings is to provide information that MIGHT “improve some folks over all cruising experience”. It does not work for everyone; however, it might assist some. Please add your thoughts/comments/posts with the intention of helping fellow cruisers enjoy their cruising life a bit better. Let’s look at these times: 1. Pre-Covid-19 2. When Cruising Restarted During Covid-19 3. Post Covid-19 Pre-Covid: Before we knew that the Covid virus was a real thing. The cruise industry was on the rise. Ships were selling out consistently and/or were cruising at least at a very high guest capacity. This created some obstacles to our enjoyment of our cruise vacation. Some of those obstacles of cruising are listed, but not all. See below: · Embarkment: I hated the embarkment and the registration procedure. I felt like I was at the Airport, on the busiest travel day of the year. We would wait in lines for sometimes over an hour. It reminded me of what it was like when visiting a Disney World Attraction. I just to joke, “Are we at Magic Mountain Yet?” · Main Pool: The legend of the “Pool Chair Hogs” is NOT a myth. Folks would wake up early and place personal items on a pool lounge chair to reserve it for the ENTIRE day. Some would be on the chair all day and others would hardly ever show up. The notion of sharing wealth was never a thought for these folks. If you moved their items and they eventually showed up, it could lead to potential confrontation on our vacation, which is what most people want to avoid. This need to avoid stress and confrontation on vacation was the “Chair Hogs” greatest weapon. Some guests would have professionally made signage to reserve their chairs. · Buffet: The buffet was always crowded, rarely did folks wash their hands. Both adults and children touched food with their hands and sometimes did not put that food on their plates. It was a health and safety hazard, just waiting to happen. Rules and policies were rarely followed. The crew were afraid to enforce policies because their status would go down with any complaint. Guests complained about other guests all the time, and nothing seemed to ever change. · Shows: The ships were so crowded that reservations were needed for the large production shows. Still a member of a big party would hold entire rows, their friends and family would not show up. Another example of “Chair Hogs”. I always felt bad for the person left alone holding that row. They always looked embarrassed. · Bars/Lounges: Any place that had alcoholic drinks was super crowded. You had to stand for quite a while, in line, to get a drink. The staff at some of the bars would attempt to service everyone, however it was impossible. My wife once had to wait for over 45 minutes just to be acknowledged at the pool bar with the result of not even getting her drink. She was upset to say the least. I like a good husband solved that issue, but it should never have happened. · Small Entertainment Venues: Folks waited, in some cases over an hour in line, to get in and get a seat. The Cavern Club is a great example of this type of situation. Then folks would come in one entrance walk through seeing no seating available, then show their frustration just to walk out the other side. Walking in, seeing a crowd, and walking out without making a scene is the proper thing to do. It seems on cruise vacations; manners sometimes are left home. · Room Cleaning: The room stewards worked so hard and had so many cabins that you would leave your cabin for hours and when you got back, the room was not done. You would leave again so you did not interfere with the cleaning of your cabin. Cabin cleaning should always be seamless to the guest. Staffing in the cleaning department seemed to be an issue and it was noticed by all. · Excursions: Many would sell out. When you went to the public area for your excursions, the offloading was never quick, always frustrating, and disorganized. The worst part was waiting on the buses to take you to your destination. It was another wait, sometimes for hours. I remember one where it was a VERY EXPENSIVE beach “Over the Water Cabana” that was all inclusive. It showed the time on the excursion was 8 hours. After all the hurry up and wait, very long and uncomfortable bus ride full of confusion. We only had just over 4 hours. If I had known that I would not have taken the excursion. The list goes on and on. It all had to do with huge crowds of vacationers eager to have a great time and NCL short staffing. If you did not have a strategy, you would get more and more frustrated as a guest. Add the constant crowds, it became uncomfortable. Pre-Covid Solution: This is why most major Cruise Lines Brands had special VIP areas like NCL Haven. Guests experiencing the above-mentioned inconveniences wanted an improved cruise vacation experience. For those that could not afford the sometimes-excessive premium for the Haven area, they created and developed the Vibe Beach Club and the Thermal Spa which was a far less expensive option. The cruise companies knew how we guests felt and leveraged it to gain higher profit margins with add-ons. These VIP or Exclusive, usually adult only areas would sell out well prior to the rest of the ship. Here are some approaches to solve the pre-Covid issues. · Embarkment: As we know, when you book the Haven, you have priority embarkment and dis-embarkment. You have a service elevator to instantly get off the ship for excursions. NCL even had an option for those non-Haven Guests to have priority embarkment privileges at a cost. If this aspect of your vacation was important to you, then pay a small amount to have priority boarding. Not ideal but a solution. Cruise Brand Loyalty programs often have priority boarding as well. · Main Pool: The Haven comes to the rescue yet again. The Haven’s own private hot tubs and pools. Yet often, these areas would be taken over by families with children due to the 3-4th passenger sails free program. This made the Haven Adults Only Sundeck a benefit. Yet when the Haven was sold out, this private Sundeck was still crowded. Just not like the main pool. On the other hand, the Vibe Beach Club was rarely crowded even when sold out. Both Haven and Vibe became part of my strategy to improve my experience. On my upcoming non-Haven cruise, I have pre-ordered a Cabana in the Vibe Beach Club for the week. · Buffet: You had to pick and choose the time when to go to the buffet. That decision reduced the frustration of huge crowds a bit. You could also go to the Main Dining Room or 24/7 restaurant as an alternative. You just had to think about it ahead of time. The buffet was an issue because of its popularity. Yet it seemed everyone still complained about it. I say, pick and choose your moments if you don’t like crowded food venues. · Shows: Booking your show times early was the order of business. NCL usually allowed this online however sometimes, it was only available when you got onboard. You just had to do it as quickly as you could. That is a strategy that not everyone thinks about. · Bars: The only solutions here was unfortunately to make friends with the bartenders and servers. My plan was to find my favorite bar, tip heavy on day one as well as make friends. When I got to the bar and it was always crowded, all I had to do was make “eye contact”. At the pool for my wife, it was much the same but with the wandering servers. Find a good one, tip them and make eye contact. For those that say, “We should not have to do this.” You are right. You have a choice. Get frustrated or find a solution. · Small Entertainment Venues: Some claim the Haven Staff would walk Haven Guest into the SMALL venues prior to the door being open. This has never happened to me, ever. Yet some claim it is perk of the Haven. The real solution was standing room only in the back of the room and making sure you bring your drink with you. Bar service is tough at these venues. If you think NCL should have more show times? Hold your breath before that happens. · Room Cleaning: Turn on the “Clean My Room” light and don’t expect to come back to your cabin for at least 3 hours. If you see your room steward in the hall, smile, say hello and let them know you are out. This time frame due to the high capacity of guests also eliminated those delightful towel sculptures. Shame, I loved those things. The key to a Room Steward is kindness and understanding. · Excursions: Book what you want early and pay for it online. That is the general rule. If you think you want to cancel it for a refund, know the rules. I cannot tell you how many times I wanted to book the NCL Private Island Beach Villa, and they would be completely sold out even months before the cruise sailed. No strategy and you could miss your favorite excursion. During the Height of Covid-19: The cruise industry stopped in its tracks as we all know. When they opened again, it was still with Covid being a HUGE fear for some. The first few cruises were interesting, to say the least. Our strategy had to change from fully sold-out cruise ships to 25% to 50% capacity. Like everything else in the world, some good and bad happened. You would have thought that a ship with 25% guest capacity would be a dream. Sometimes, a dream is a nightmare. I went on a luxury brand during this time, and it was one of the worst cruises of my life. Why, no people. The service, food, suite, and ship were outstanding. Lack of people made it boring. · Embarkment: Much less people so the crowds were far fewer. The issue was the need to take Covid-19 tests at the pier which was not well organized. Add to that the different destinations would have special rules that could change daily. The Bahamas was a great example of that. The wait at the port to see if you were positive or negative was nerve racking. I was always the one still waiting while my wife or family was already approved laughing at me from the sidelines. Then your cruise experience could change once onboard based on those ships based on the last week covid positive guests. You might be required to wear a mask in public places or when not eating. That created uncertainty. It also created guests complaining openly. Not ideal. · Main Pool: The issue of getting a pool lounge chair was now a non-issue. On our first cruise out when the ships started to cruise again, we sometimes were the only guest at the pool. I hated it and started to appreciate the crowded pools I used to think were awful. Where are the “Chair Hogs” when you need one. We were docked next to a mega-ship; we were on a luxury brand. My wife heard deck music and pointed out young people in the pool area. She said to me, “I bet you wish you were on that ship, don’t you?” She was right. I never would have thought I would feel this way. Interesting. · Buffet: Vast improvement in quality, service, and cleanliness. The crew would put food on your plate and bring it to your table. You had to have your hands sanitized before entering any food venue. The waste from over filling your place was greatly reduced because the portions were done on your behalf. Never an issue finding a table. No mask, no food was the rule, and it was enforced. I remember eating and forgetting to put my mask on to get more food. I was stopped instantly. I happily complied. · Shows: Most got cancelled randomly due to a covid outbreak with the entertainers. When they ran, the area/venue was wide open. No reservations are required. The lack of guest had to be very hard on the cast. · Bars/Lounges: Never an issue getting a drink or having a seat at the bar. The same thing holds true for the pool bar/area. If drinking on a cruise was a priority, you would be in 7th Heaven. · Small Entertainment Venues: Funny, they were just as crowded, and the same strategy works for this time as it did for the pre-covid time. People still in the middle of a show would walk in, talking. They would walk through the crowd making a scene just to exit the other door. Some things never change. · Room Cleaning: The rooms were cleaned immediately. The Room Stewards were always available. Like night and day. Initially most cruise ships were fully staffed even with low guest capacity. Kind of nice for guests, not enough gratuities for the crew. I felt bad for the crew and did my best to over tip. We are so fortunate in our country and these folks were out of work for a long while. · Excursions: This was an issue. Some ports were closed, and others never opened. Countries outside of the US had much different rules about covid than we did. Very restricted. Add to this weather issues. The empty ship became the port which after not cruising for years, was ok for that first cruise. Post-Covid: I must clarify that there will never really be a post-covid. It is still here just like the flu season. It is like luggage; you have it forever. When I say, Post-Covid It means where we are today and in our near future. The ships are almost completely sold out again, the prices are higher especially in the areas like NCL Haven, guests are still using their Future Cruise Credits, and Vibe Beach Club gets sold out quickly. The need for Covid-19 testing at the port is gone for NOW but it might come back if there is an outbreak in the future. What is the difference from pre-Covid? · Embarkment: The lines are back even though no Covid testing is needed. What makes it work better is 21 days prior to embarkment, you can do your online registration. Currently, NCL gives your boarding time then. This policy allows for a much better registration process at the ports, especially the ports outside of the new NCL Miami terminal. As always, Haven allows you to board anytime. You can still buy early boarding and high loyalty members have priority. My plan when not in Haven is to get the earliest time for boarding, sit right in front of the boarding door. Problem solved. To do this, I wait online for the portal to open for my cruise and do my online check-in within minutes. I always get the earliest time for boarding and checking in. I don’t mind waiting in a chair at the port. · Main Pool: Packed and the “Chair Hogs” are back in full force. The difference is most pool crew members are better at seeing a chair not used and taking the personal stuff away, holding it at a desk for the guest when they return. Now if a “Chair Hog” complains, the crew members are not penalized. The cruise brands have greatly improved this, but it is still there. · Buffet: Yow can now put your food on your plates like before, there are still areas where the crew will do it for you. Everyone must sanitize their hands which is one of the best parts of Covid aftermath. If someone touches the food, they are instructed not to do so, and the food touched is tossed. That is all personal observations, not hearsay. · Shows: The shows are packed again. Reservations are needed. Get them early. As before, the Haven Guest have their own private area for the large shows on Orchestra left. With a little planning it is not an issue. Strategy eliminates most of our frustration. · Bars/Lounges: Busy again, however I have noticed more staff. Interesting that in the Haven Bar, there is a new breed of “Chair Hogs”. They are the folks that are sitting at the Haven Bar most of the cruise. Day or night, they are there. I solved this problem or better stated, NCL solved this problem for me. They made the Haven so expensive I can’t afford it anymore. I shifted to the Vibe Beach Club which can now be booked pre-cruise. The bar there is NEVER crowded. I also love the bar in between Cagney’s and the French Restaurant sometimes called the “A List” bar. The name of this bar changes from cruise to cruise. The only issue is it opens at 5:00 PM. · Small Entertainment Venues: Nothing changes. Some things are always the same. My challenge is to convince my wife to join me knowing we might be standing. I fail more than I succeed. · Room Cleaning: Back to waiting a few extra hours for the room to be done. The difference now is you completely know what to expect and your vacation is better with people vs. an empty ship. That is not everyone’s opinion, but it is mine. I love watch “Mr. Sexy Legs” with so many people in the pool area that you can’t see the deck. More fun that way. · Excursions: We must pre-book our excursions well before the cruise. I personally have done most of the cruise excursions in the Caribbean. I am not a fan, and we usually simply get off the ship, hire a car, rent a golf cart/scooter, or take a walk where it is safe. Our upcoming trip to the Mediterranean, all bets is off. I will have pre-plan to a max our excursions. It will be my first and last trip to Europe in my lifetime. Conclusion: Where we used to simply buy our cruise and go with little or no strategy. We NOW, or should I say in my family. I NOW think everything through. I must also say, where prior I would always be in the NCL Haven, which I love. Due to budget restrictions, the Haven is not on the table so to speak. This creates a strategy that focuses more on “Haven-Lite” experiences. The Vibe Beach Club picks up most of the slack along with the new, “Free at Sea PLUS” package just introduced. · Air/Ground Arrangements: We always do these ourselves so we can control our flights/days/times/brands. We also always fly the day before and stay at a hotel near the port. Almost missed a cruise once and you are a believer when that happens. In two weeks, we have a cruise out of the Port of New Orleans. We can drive there yet we still will travel the day before. Our luck, our car breaks down. If we fly in, we usually take an Uber to the port and a Taxi to the Airport. Taxis at the port are always available and easy to find. · Reservations: Reservations are coordinated for dining and shows; meals in specialty restaurants are matched to the day’s itinerary. All is done as soon as the ability to make a reservation is provided. When available, I download the menus for the Specialty Restaurants. I created a homemade Excel Calendar many years ago and simply re-used it. · Check-In: We do the online check-in the moment it is available to get the earliest boarding time. We park ourselves by the boarding door. Now it is for convenience vs a requirement. Prior it was to RUN to get a Vibe Beach Club Pass. The Vibe pass is easier now by pre-cruise purchase option. · Vibe Beach Club: We have now pre-booked a Vibe Beach Club Cabana. The Vibe is now the center of all our activities when not in the Haven. It is also the first place we go when we board. We bring a change of clothes with us on in our backpack. Vibe has also been a great please to meet new friends much more casually. You tend to see them every day. · Premium PLUS Drink Package: My wife and I aways get the Premium Plus Drink Package which now is part of the “Free at Sea Plus” add on making it easier. I wrote a CruiseCritic.com OP-ED on the Premium Plus Drink Package giving all my many reasons. The OP-ED is very popular so give it a look. · Excursions: All excursions are now pre-booked and paid for in advance. The main strategy is to recognize if it is a tender or docked at the port. That makes a difference for time you will be on your excursion. If tendering happens, I am much less likely to leave the ship. · Main Pool: We leverage the pool during port days. It is still somewhat crowded, however far less. The same holds true for spa treatments which we limit due to excessive markup. · Other Pre-Pays: Gratuities and third-party travel insurance that covers trip interruption/cancellations are pre-purchased. On Travel Insurance. On the last three (3) cruises, I had claims on all the trips. One claim will pay the premium for travel insurance for the rest of my life. My wife got covid which forced us to cancel the cruise 8-days prior. Check with your Health Insurance Provider on your exact coverage when cruising. My provider only covers me in the United States. · Special Packing: I have a round power strip that is made for travel. It has US and USB plugs. I put it on my bedside with extra-long USB multiple chargers for phones and other devices. Years ago, I bought rechargeable portable hand fans that are a must. I have a habit of making a goodie basket with these items for each cruiser. My wife gets upset with me because she asks, “How many full-sized bottles of sunscreen, travel packs of q-tips/Tylenol, and lip balm do we need?” On the actual cruise all I hear is, “Does anyone know where the sunscreen is?” The life of a planner is a lonely one. · Journey Document: This is my first reference for my Journey Document in this op-ed. Some folks see the excessive details, number of pages (usually 20 pages), information covered and preparation. They say, “It is vacation, just let things happen as they will. Chill out.” I must disagree. I have done that and missed out on things, activities and increased my stress. Now everything is handled that can be reasonably thought out. This leaves situations that no one can control or plan for as the unknown. My experience is much less messed up and from the moment I check in, my mind can relax. All the heavy lifting is over. I can’t leave this topic of the Journey Document without sharing how it helped me in the past. Here are a few situations: Spa Treatments Pre-Cruise Sale: I got an invitation to book 3 or more spa treatments and get 20% off. I hopped on it and booked four. Two for my wife and two for me. We were on the Celebrity Equinox at the time. When I got onboard, the Spa person asked if I wanted to book some spa treatments and I explained what I had already done. She said, “That does not work on this cruise!” I showed her the correspondences, reservations, and receipts. I also called the main company that called the ship. It was handled in 15 minutes because I was prepared. Drink Packages: my family of four adults were traveling in the same suite. We all had the normal Premium Drink Package that comes with the NCL Free at Sea perk. I found a way to get paid for the upgrade for ONLY my wife and I for the Premium PLUS Drink Package. You had to use your Future Cruise Credit, have it pre-approved and have your Travel Agent get it done. Not easy but I did it. When onboard, on day one, my kids ordered drinks. I said on my onscreen portfolio they were charged for their drinks. I went to Guest Services, with my Journey Document and showed the information. It was also fixed in 15 minutes. Other Areas: Specialty restaurant reservations, special amenities requested from pre-cruise Haven Desk and the list goes on. All supported with documentation because of my home-made Journey Document. The fact is I over prepare, and I know it. I in no way am suggesting every does what I do. Instead, I am trying to give some heads up on areas that guests can take to make their cruises a more enhanced experience. The population of CruiseCritic.com will add more areas as comments to this post. That is why there is a community. I hope it helps both the first-time cruisers and those that cruise a lot. Cruise well and enjoy every moment!

I think the main question for the author has been answered. You key card gets you in on the first day. This allows those who purchased a Vibe Beach Club Pass pre-cruise to have a drink, chair and view the moment you get on the ship. This is always my strategy. That is why I bring a change of clothes. When in the Haven, I would just hang around until 12 to have lunch in the Haven Restaurant. When I was a solo and not in the Haven, I went into the Vibe and had a drink. Both approaches were fantastic. The wrist bands are a good thought however most everyone does not use them. Kind of worthless. We have a Cabana in 12 days on the Breakaway. It is my understanding that the Vibe Crew have a list of those with a Cabana and issue one to each person with a reservation. My strategy is get there early to have the pick of the litter. Because the Vibe in the past was always sold out and never crowded, you can make friends with the Vibe crew on day one. These folks have done a great job of taking care of every guest and treated me like a rock star. When not in the Haven, being in the Vibe makes my cruise. My wife will enjoy it for the first time on our December cruise. I think she will be thrilled. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@CDR BensonHello sir and love to read your posts. Please share with your lovely bride that you did her a great service. All my life, I have wanted to cruise on a "Luxury Brand". I wanted to know what the difference was and evaluate the benefits. When that day finally came, I came to a very different realization than I had ever thought. The differences are subtle which make them work well. The biggest difference is that the entire ship is like being in the Haven on Steroids. Once you leave your stateroom, everyone is treated the same. The "Personalized Service" becomes much more visible on day two when the crew gets to know you. The atmosphere tends to be much less busy allowing for a much less rushed vacation. The need to show our suite card for a drink is no more. The food in the Main Dining room is as good or better than the specialty restaurants on most other ships. The Specialty Restaurants are outstanding. If there is some things that are similar to insure your vacation is all it can be, it is some of the same preparations. Regents most of the excursions are part of your fare. Still some get sold out so plan to book them early. The same thing holds true for Specialty restaurants. Book what you can early and got to the restaurant when you get on board for additional bookings. If you do their Airfare, read the blogs and the fine print. We have share lots of information with each other over the years. My goal is the assist you and Ms. B with setting expectations that are both realistic and can be exceeded. I have commented on this trip you will be taking on Regents in the past. I am so excited for you both. Just remember, the experience will be different. All the great crew from Regents to get to know you both and don't be shy on what would make your vacation even better. Cruise well and enjoy every moment. You both deserve it.

Yes. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@Clutj Thank for sharing this information with us. I find this fun information, smart information and interesting information. My only experience with a cruise brand above Main Stream was August 2021, on the now defunct Crystal Cruises Ocean Cruise. I was in a Penthouse Suite. That was an unique surprise because at the time, the ships were only 50% or less filled. So I was upgraded to the Penthouse complementary and then paid a reasonable fee for a Penthouse Suite. Long story on the upgrades for another post. Our butler asked me what I liked to drink and what my wife liked. I like Grey Goose Cherry Noir or Grey Goose Lemon. My wife only drinks Chardonnay. After our butler meeting, day one, which I had never had before. 15 minutes later, a litter of Grey Goose Lemon was on my in suite bar and two bottle of Chardonnay was in the ice bucket. I would think, Regents would provide the same benefit based on the investment. It surprises me they don't. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Thank you to the author. Here are some thoughts that might assist some. Not for everyone but learned from years of cruising. I am Traveling on the Breakaway in Two Weeks: Before I make comments, I do have skin in this game. My wife and I are on the Breakaway on December 4 sailing in two weeks. Breakaway with 4,000 guests: This is the way it used to be. This is why area's the Haven and the Vibe Beach Club Exist. I was on the NCL Joy in the Haven when the ship was at 50%. It was the perfect amount of people yet the Haven was sold out. This made the Haven Sundeck over crowded. I than went on the Joy as a Solo three months later and it was 85% booked. You could not find a lounge chair by the pool, yet the Vibe Beach Club was never crowded. Strategy: My sailing will be very crowded. That was confirmed many times because it is when the Finals for the Slot Tournament will happen. My experience told me, "Get a Cabana in the Vibe Beach Club" Pre-Cruise; Do your Specialty Restaurant Reservations at 125 days prior; Make Show reservations as soon as they are available and or you get on board; If you want an excursion, book it pre-cruise; HAVE REALLY GOOD CRUISE TRAVEL/HEALTH INSURANCE. Find Your Favorite Bar: Find you bar and bartender you like the best and tip them upfront. When capacity is high, the bars are crowded because everyone has a drink package. The best and easiest bars to get a drink are the Vibe Beach Club, the A-List when it is open, the Haven Bar if you are in the Haven, the bars in the Observation decks. Health Concerns: I will make no comments about vaccinations or booster other than it is a personal choice. My is to have them all, plus the flu vaccine. Since not everyone is of my mindset, my strategy onboard will be a bit more careful. All I say is use good business judgement. Cruising with a high guest count is different from lower counts. Just think it through. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.